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Trends Analysis and a Yearly Comparison of Point Sources of Atmospheric Mercury Using HYSPLIT Back Trajectories Focused in Athens, Ohio

Thomason, Krista A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1557161272706908

Abstract Details

2019, Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, Environmental Studies (Voinovich).
Atmospheric mercury is a pollutant of concern due to its detrimental effects on wildlife and humans. It is easily deposited to the environment in its oxidized form known as reactive gaseous mercury (RGM), which enters the atmosphere predominately from coal fired power plants (EPA). A mercury air monitoring site is located in Athens, OH where the ambient RGM data are studied in depth. This research strove to determine 8-year trends of atmospheric RGM and determine source regions affecting RGM levels in Athens. The top 5% RGM concentrations levels for 2009, 2010, 2016, and 2017 were analyzed separately to determine hotspots. The HYSPLIT model was utilized to generate back trajectories of high RGM days. These back trajectories were overlapped into ArcGIS where the most dominant source region was determined to be Northeast of Athens, OH. Meteorological parameters were investigated as well to determine a meteorological scenario attributing to high RGM levels. The RGM levels in Athens from 2009 to 2017 have decreased by 73.14%. However, high RGM days occur in association with stable planetary boundary layer conditions, with an inversion beginning at the surface or when there is an unstable planetary boundary layer with mixing and then an inversion aloft. Meteorology plays a major role in high RGM concentrations in Athens, OH.
Jana Houser, Dr. (Committee Chair)
Kevin Crist, Dr. (Committee Member)
Geoff Dabelko, Dr. (Committee Member)
89 p.
Atmosphere; Atmospheric Chemistry; Atmospheric Sciences; Environmental Science; Environmental Studies; Meteorology
Atmospheric Mercury; Reactive Gaseous Mercury; HYSPLIT; GIS; Back-Trajectory; Trend Analysis; Air Pollution; Air Quality; Elemental Mercury; Atmospheric Modeling; Gaseous Oxidized Mercury; Tekran Instruments; Atmospheric Mercury Analyzer; Skew-T Analysis

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Citations

  • Thomason, K. A. (2019). Trends Analysis and a Yearly Comparison of Point Sources of Atmospheric Mercury Using HYSPLIT Back Trajectories Focused in Athens, Ohio [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1557161272706908

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Thomason, Krista. Trends Analysis and a Yearly Comparison of Point Sources of Atmospheric Mercury Using HYSPLIT Back Trajectories Focused in Athens, Ohio . 2019. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1557161272706908.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Thomason, Krista. "Trends Analysis and a Yearly Comparison of Point Sources of Atmospheric Mercury Using HYSPLIT Back Trajectories Focused in Athens, Ohio ." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1557161272706908

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1557161272706908
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This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.